Congratulations to Nate Perez, Office Coordinator at the Student Center, who won the Dancing with the Athens Stars competition on April 13 at Stuart's Opera House. Perez competed against 10 local celebrities in the fourth annual Dancing with the Athens Stars competition, a fundraiser for the American Red Cross of Southeastern Ohio.

The 10 local celebrities had no experience in dance and were paired with professional performers to show them the ropes. Perez performed a swing dance with professional partner Jane Tomkins. Perez and Tomkins made the final round as the Judge's Choice and were then voted to return for next year's show.

"The dance moves demonstrated bordered on acrobatics as Nate threw Jane in the air, flipping and twisting his way through the most entertaining night of the year," Giles Lee, Hocking College Director of Co-Curricular Activities and one of the judges in the competition, commented.

To win the competition, participants had to raise the most money for the American Red Cross. Guests received a single ballot with the purchase of their ticket, but were able to cast another vote in a different round with the purchase of another for $10. All proceeds from the event went to the American Red Cross disaster services provided in Athens, Gallia, Meigs and Vinton counties.

Great job also to our Broadcast Production and Engineering students who shot the introduction videos for all the contestants!